2025 Reading Challenge discussion

My goals:

1. Read at least 400 books. (I've read 451, so far, this year.)

2. At least 20% of the books need to be non-fiction. (I should be at 90 non-fiction books this year and I'm at 89 right now)

3. Must read at least 125,000 pages. (For 2015, currently at 146,229 pages)

Amazing! What are your favorites?

Wow! This is an amazing goal Bella. Good luck with it.

Kadijah Michelle wrote: "Amazing! What are your favorites?"

Thanks for friending me! My favorite books? I think my favorite books this year were all non-fiction: Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood by Terry Masear, because it was so charming. $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates was the best book I read this year- it was well written, passionate. It was a book that made you feel so many things.

I read pretty much everything, except erotica. But I really like non-fiction, especially social justice type works.

I will defiantly be following what you read this year. I prefer non-fiction as well.

Bella, you are an inspiration! I find that I struggle to ID non-fiction books I can get into. I'll check out your favorites from 2015 to see if I can find more that I enjoy. Thanks for the recommendations!

good luck Bella! how did you come up with 400?

Good luck with your challenge, Bella! I've gotten up to about 15% nonfiction, and I'd like to increase that number a bit next year too.

Jackie B. wrote: "Bella, you are an inspiration! I find that I struggle to ID non-fiction books I can get into. I'll check out your favorites from 2015 to see if I can find more that I enjoy. Thanks for the recommen..."

Thanks, Jackie. If you go through my books, I should tell you about my ratings. I'm kind of a harsh rater- if a book isn't rated, it means it's a 2 to 3 1/2 star book. I'll usually rate a 1 star book, though. But even a 2 1/2 star rating, to me, is a fairly decent book. I have a few books that are 3 1/2 stars and I kind of wait until the end of the year- if I still remember/think about/am affected by the book, I'll give it a 4 star rating.

Blagica wrote: "good luck Bella! how did you come up with 400?"

I've never read less than a book a day, so that's 365 books. I try to read a little more than that and I like round numbers, so 400. I don't like to set it too high because I don't want to feel pressured or put longer books to the side just to make it to 450 books.

Kadijah Michelle wrote: "I will defiantly be following what you read this year. I prefer non-fiction as well."

Kadijah, I noticed that you read Aladdin and Other Tales from the Arabian Nights this year. I'm reading the 3 volume Penguin translation of The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 1, translated by Malcolm Lyons. (Taking a little break from it, though. So very long.)

So, I wonder if you might be interested in Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange . (Also translated by Lyons) It made one of the "Best of 2015" lists and some of it became some of the source material for The Arabian Nights, but some stories haven't been translated in a thousand years. I just snapped up a copy.

Books 1-100: (Books in bold are non-fiction)

1. A Fork in the Road by James Oseland, 304 pages
2. Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature by Nick Davies, 289 pages
3. War at the Edge of the World by Ian James Ross, 389 pages
4. Murder Most Howl by Krista Davis, 282 pages
5. A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees by Dave Goulson, 256 pages
6. A Ghoul's Guide to Love and Murder by Victoria Laurie, 341 pages
7. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard, 606 pages
8. Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime by Val McDermid, 310 pages
9. Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, 320 pages
10. The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane
11. The Penny Heart by Martine Bailey, 458 pages
12. Other Broken Things by Christa Desir

Number of Non-fiction books: 6

Congrats on finishing your first books in 2016!

Wow! No wonder you have make the 400+ goal-- it's January 4th and you've read three books already. You're an inspiration, for sure.

Congrats on starting off 2016 strong, Bella! I look forward to seeing what you read.

Thanks, Jackie and Megan. Usually, January is a "slow" month for me- I usually have the GR's Challenge widget telling me I'm behind. It's because I usually finish up a bunch of books in December and start 10 or so in the first days of January. So, I usually don't finish much.

I'm up to five, now, but I'm reading Les Mis, so...that's going to cut into my reading time and not be finished for a while.

I've always thought about reading Les Mis, and then I look at the size of it and walk away. I just can't get myself to dedicate to it for some reason! I look forward to hearing your review-- and seeing if I should pick it up anyway. :)

Jackie, I think a good translation is important. I'm really cheap, but on translated works, I don't download or buy the ones in the public domain. I think that having a Victorian Era translator puts another layer layer of "oldness". (I know I'm not explaining it well.) It feels like reading bad historical fiction, I guess.

The characters in Les Mis are wonderful...but you have to be in the mood for it, I think. I usually bounce between books, but if I notice that I've not touched Les Mis that day, I force myself to read 20-30 pages before I can read anything else. Usually, by then, I'm sucked into the book and keep reading.

That's a really good point! I rarely think of the translation issue. Do you have an edition that you'd recommend, then? Or a specific translator I should look for?

Jackie B. wrote: "That's a really good point! I rarely think of the translation issue. Do you have an edition that you'd recommend, then? Or a specific translator I should look for?"

I'm reading the Penguin, translated by Norman Denny. Hugo goes off on a number of tangents and he's put the two worst of them, the translator claims, at the end in an appendix. Although Hugo still goes off on tangents, so I can't imagine what the removed ones are like. I'll read them after the book, though. He's also said that he's cleaned up and modernized the language a little- so where Hugo may have two lines worth of adjectives, Denny will choose the best handful. Purists, I guess, won't like this, but as a modern reader, I appreciate it. A lot. And I do read a lot of classics, but still...


I've heard good things about this translation, too. .

Beware of using the Amazon links for the ebook- it will say you can get the book for cheap- under a dollar. But it's not for either of the two editions, it's for a repackaged public domain version.

The translation of Les Mis that Bella mentioned ias the one I read. I trudged through that book in 2013-14. It took me about 6 months but the main thing is I finished!!! Good luck with it. There are placea that are pretty boring fyi.

Thanks for the tips, Bella and Alison! Particularly the one about Amazon links. Tricky stuff. This will be a major undertaking, but I think I'm up for it with a good translation. Here goes nothing!

Jackie B. wrote: "Thanks for the tips, Bella and Alison! Particularly the one about Amazon links. Tricky stuff. This will be a major undertaking, but I think I'm up for it with a good translation. Here goes nothing!"

Even the ones within Amazon are faulty. (I bought a War and Peace or something that was the wrong edition. They did refund me promptly, though. I have a Nook, but if there's a big price difference I'll read it on the iPad, which I hate.) I think the way to do it is to go through the editions on GR's and find the ASIN/IBSN numbers and punch that directly into the amazon search feature.

Bella wrote: "Jackie B. wrote: "Thanks for the tips, Bella and Alison! Particularly the one about Amazon links. Tricky stuff. This will be a major undertaking, but I think I'm up for it with a good translation. ..."

That's what I do.
Although for the most part, I find that the Penguin Classics are pretty solid.

Impressive goal Bella, I'm amazed by your reading speed, what kind of non fiction do you like?

Good luck!

Thanks, Kiwi. I pretty much like all types of non-fiction except self-help. I especially, right now, like books on nature, science, food, memoir, biographies, and history. I pretty much always like Ancient Greek history, through the Peloponnesian War, and I go through phases where I load up on a specific time or place. Oh, and I like travel type books, not the you buy when you're about to go on holiday, but travelogue type books.

I too have a passion for ancient history and art, ancient Greece in particular, and I go often through "historical" phases, the most recent about Celts at the end of last year.

I will keep an eye on you thread for some book inspiration, happy reading!

More than one book a day is very impressive! Good luck!
I don't often finish a book in a day, unless I spend almost the entire day reading.

I love to read blogs about travelling (and I've even started writing one), but oddly I have not yet read any travelogue books. It would be great if you could recommend one for me.

Kiwi wrote: "I too have a passion for ancient history and art, ancient Greece in particular, and I go often through "historical" phases, the most recent about Celts at the end of last year.

I will keep an eye ..."

Thanks, Kiwi. I'll be "stalking" your books to see what you're reading. Oops, already did. Are you enjoying The Reindeer People? I have it on my shelves, somewhere. It's non-fiction, but have you read People of the Deer by Farley Mowat?

Willemijn wrote: "More than one book a day is very impressive! Good luck!
I don't often finish a book in a day, unless I spend almost the entire day reading.

I love to read blogs about travelling (and I've even st..."

I'm reading a great book now: The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane. Paul Theroux is a solid writer- I have a personal distaste for him, but still think he's a good writer. I just read him in small doses. (He got into a kerfuffle in my home state and it was especially touchy because this is when people really started to debate cultural appropriation. So, I have a hard time separating my personal feelings from his writing. Although I think he comes off as condescending, superior, smug, etc. at times. But I'm not sure if he does, or if it's just me) Just pick a book based on location, whichever sounds most appealing at the time.

I'm just starting The Land Where Lemons Grow: The Story of Italy and its Citrus Fruit by Helena Attlee. Quite good, so far, and recommended to me by someone with great taste.

Thanks!

Bella wrote: "I'll be "stalking" your books to see what you're reading. Oops, already did. Are you enjoying The Reindeer People? I have it on my shelves, somewhere. It's non-fiction, but have you read People of the Deer by Farley Mowat? ..."

I am enjoying Reindeer people, I think the protagonist's attitudes may be on the too modern side but not a bad book so far. I haven't heard of the book you mention, off to check it on GR...

Books 1-100: (Books in bold are non-fiction)

1. A Fork in the Road by James Oseland, 304 pages
2. Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature by Nick Davies, 289 pages
3. War at the Edge of the World by Ian James Ross, 389 pages
4. Murder Most Howl by Krista Davis, 282 pages
5. A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees by Dave Goulson, 256 pages
6. A Ghoul's Guide to Love and Murder by Victoria Laurie, 341 pages
7. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard, 606 pages
8. Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA and More Tell Us About Crime by Val McDermid, 310 pages
9. Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, 320 pages
10. The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane
11. The Penny Heart by Martine Bailey, 458 pages
12. Other Broken Things by Christa Desir, 250 pages
13. The Assassin's Masque by Sarah Zettel, 384 pages
14. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, 1232 pages
15. Fat Tuesday Fricassee by J.J. Cook, 295 pages
16. Zero Day by Jan Gangsei, 359 pages
17. Ill-Gotten Panes by Jennifer McAndrews, 291 pages
18. Death Under Glass by Jennifer McAndrews, 294 pages
19. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward, 256 pages
20. Rise of an Empire: How One Man United Greece to Defeat Xerxes's Persians The true story behind the events in 300 by Stephen Dando-Collins, 267 pages
21. John Adams by David McCullough, 751 pages
22. Life on the Outside: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett by Jennifer Gonnerman
23. Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson, 289 pages
24. The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry, 390 pages
25. Staked by Kevin Hearne, 310 pages
26. Coconut Cowboy by Tim Dorsey, 322 pages
27. Deep Storm by Lincoln Child, 370 pages
28. Daisies For Innocence by Bailey Cattrell, 325 pages

February Books
29. Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston, 398 pages
30. Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers, 400 pages
31. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb, 388 pages
32. Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child, 320 pages
33. George by Alex Gino, 195 pages
34. Temple by Matthew Reilly, 508 pages
35. Death of A Bad Apple by Penny Pike, 320 pages
36. The Third Gate by Lincoln Child, 306 pages
37. On Thin Icing by Ellie Alexander, 294 pages
38. Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman, 369 pages
39. Blasphemy by Douglas Preston, 526 pages
40. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard, 444 pages
41. Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin, 335 pages
42. Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk, 231 pages
43. Platinum Doll by Anne Girard, 352 pages
44. Travels in a Thin Country: A Journey Through Chile by Sara Wheeler, 304 pages
45. Sword of Apollo: A Novel by Noble Smith, 323 pages
46. The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan, 384 pages
47. A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson, 528 pages
48. Red Rising by Pierce Brown, 382 pages
49. Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen by Arin Andrews, 248 pages
50. Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills, 262 pages
51. Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper, 320 pages
52. Fat Angie by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo, 264 pages
53. Bitter Bite by Jennifer Estep, 374 pages
54. Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson, 182 pages
55. The Beautiful Struggle: A Father, Two Sons, and an Unlikely Road to Manhood by Ta-Nehisi Coates, 223 pages
56. Sold by Patricia McCormick, 263 pages
57. The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine, 298 pages
58. One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, 218 pages
59. Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick, 216 pages
60. Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes, 439 pages
61. Crow by Barbara Wright, 297 pages
62. Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt, 279 pages
63. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, 336 pages
64. Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctor's Reflections on Race and Medicine by Damon Tweedy, 294 pages
65. Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY, and the Lost Story of 1970 by David Browne, 369 pages
66. Impact by Douglas Preston
67. The Kraken Project by Douglas Preston

March Books

68. Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein, 278 pages
69. Beneath the Dark Ice by Greig Beck, 294 pages
70. King of Ithaca by Glyn Iliffe, 384 pages
71. A Wee Dose of Death by Fran Stewart, 292 pages
72. The Gates of Troy by Glyn Iliffe, 475 pages
73. Living Like a Runaway by Lita Ford, 262 pages
74. The Armour of Achilles by Glyn Iliffe, 540 pages
75. Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs, 342 pages
76. Dirty Rocker Boys, 262 pages



Number of Non-fiction books: 18

11. The Penny Heart by Martine Bailey, 458 pages

Excellent historical mystery. Can't wait for her next book.

12. Other Broken Things by Christa Desir

13. The Assassin's Masque by Sarah Zettel

This is the third book in the series and I hope the last. In any event, I wouldn't read the next book. Somewhere between a 1 1/2 to 2 star book. I don't like this style of doing historical fiction- famous personages, but without any kind of historical richness. Maybe it just suffers in comparison to other historical fiction books I've read recently.

14. Les Misérables by Victor Hugo,

Loved some of the characters, but it's still a 3 to 3 1/2 star book. Hugo does go on and on about stuff and goes off on tangents and it detracts from the book. Interesting to see the progression of how authors have handled the issue of plot and character during the history of the novel. A good, but flawed book.

Went out last night to play bingo and it was very loud- drunk people sitting next to us. So when I got home, I couldn't wind down. So I stayed up late reading and finished:

15. Fat Tuesday Fricassee by J.J. Cook. 3 star cozy mystery.

16. Zero Day by Jan Gangsei. Meh. It was okay- readable.

Bella wrote: "Went out last night to play bingo and it was very loud- drunk people sitting next to us. So when I got home, I couldn't wind down. So I stayed up late reading and finished:

15. [book:Fat Tuesday F..."

That's the worst - when other people's crazy takes over the enjoyment of others! Were the bingo gods good to you at least?

No, I lost. But only $22 for both sessions we played. One of the drunk people won once, though. Some people gamble what, to me, is an insane amount. As much as $200-$300 per session when the jackpots are big. I just can't wrap my mind around that. I can justify spending, between my husband and I, $40-$60 a week because we do that instead of eating out or seeing a movie.

Bella wrote: "No, I lost. But only $22 for both sessions we played. One of the drunk people won once, though. Some people gamble what, to me, is an insane amount. As much as $200-$300 per session when the jackpo..."

I agree. I play for fun and only the money I won't miss:)

17. Ill-Gotten Panes by Jennifer McAndrews, 3 stars. Which is not a bad rating- according to GR's a three star rating means you "liked it". Worth reading, worth buying used.

18. Death Under Glass by Jennifer McAndrews. 3 star book, grudgingly. The author used the word "huff", or a variation of it, 3 times in as many pages. "Huffed a sigh." Yuck, just awkward. I think the last time I used the word in real life was when I read "The Three Little Pigs" to my daughter.

19. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward, 4 1/2 stars. But one of those books that I may reevaluate and decide to make a 5 star book if it "sticks" with me. A brilliant writer of an important book. She truly made you feel claustrophobic and penned in- a glimpse into the too short and tragic lives of many young, black men who live in the South. My husband is a psych nurse and he says that many children and young adults from inner city type neighborhoods have PTSD. From exactly the life that Ward describes.

20. Rise of an Empire: How One Man United Greece to Defeat Xerxes's Persians The true story behind the events in 300 by Stephen Dando-Collins

Cannot recommend this book about Themistocles and the Persian Wars. The author makes some major mistakes of fact- he puts the age of Leonidas as 35. Really? When Leonidas died at Thermopylae, his "accepted" age is 50-60-ish years old. One source is Herodotus, who says Leonidas is about 2 years younger than Kleomenes. Also, his younger brother had a son- Pausanias- who was old enough to serve as regent to Leonidas's son upon his death. This puts his YOUNGER brothers age around 50, minimum. So...

He also distorts or has faulty reasoning about events and people. For example, he says that immediately before the Battle of Marathon, it was still possible for the Athenians to "medize". Ummm, no. Darius was coming to destroy Athens over their killing his messenger. (He also displays faulty reasoning here as the author makes like what the Athenians did was as brave as the Spartans. Not true. The Spartans- King Kleomenes- threw Darius's messenger down a well. The Athenians- sham rape trial where the messengers were executed. Not the same.)

And his acceptance of the portrayal of Xerxes as some spoiled, immature child. I don't know where to start except to say that Persians ruled an empire that would not be equaled- in size- until the reign of Emperor Augustus hundreds and hundreds of years later. (Not to mention that the Romans didn't really "rule" in a more modern sense like the Persians.) I can't see how this is possible under the rule of a childish, silly king.

So, he's such an accessible and easy to read writer, but all of this is just inexcusable.